God’s Perfect Love

As I was reading my Bible today, the reality of the magnitude of God’s love hit me. In 1 John 4:16–18 it says:

“…God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love” (NLT).

As I read verse 18, it really touched my spirit on how God’s love is unconditional. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (NKJV). God already knew we were sinners. He knew that asking for forgiveness one time was not enough.

The Bible says we will sin against God in our thoughts, our speech, and/or our deeds. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” (Proverbs 23:7, KJV). The Amplified version says, “So is his behavior.” So once it is thought, we have already sinned against God.

Think of how many times we think of things as we see people walk by, or watch a show and think, “If it were me…” God says even though we don’t act on the things we think, it is already done. The point I am trying to make is that we are constantly sinning. However, as children of God, we understand that we must come to our Father and ask for forgiveness, and by the blood of Jesus, we are made free. Everything is forgiven, and once again we are made whole through Christ Jesus.

As I read 1 John 4:18, it all came full circle for me. It says that if we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love. As children of God, we are not meant to live in fear of punishment, but in confidence of His love and grace. No matter what we do, He still loves us. With a sincere and repentant heart, we approach the throne of grace, and God, in His mercy, forgives us and makes us whole again.

So to fear punishment is to not know or understand who God our Father is. Unconditional love means that no matter what, He still loves us. If we lied, stole, and even murdered, once we have a sincere heart of repentance, He will forgive.

Does love mean we serve no consequences? We still face consequences for our actions, for Scripture says that whatever a person sows, that they will also reap (Galatians 6:7). This means that we must be diligent in sowing what is good and pleasing to God to reap His goodness and favor. God knew that we would fall short of perfection, so in His love, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to offer Himself as the sacrificial Lamb for us.

There will be moments when we fail and need to be cleansed by the blood of Christ, but as God’s children, we are not abandoned or rejected. We remain loved, and we do not fear condemnation, because Jesus has already accounted for the sins of the world.

Seek Him and ask for forgiveness for your sins today. God is waiting for you to come back home to your Heavenly Father. Won’t you accept that perfect love today?

Until next time, be blessed. If you are in need of prayer, please click here and know that I am praying for you.

Favor Ain’t Fair

As I was reading my Bible, I got to a verse in Proverbs that took me back to a situation in my life from years ago. It took me back to a friendship that I thought would be for a lifetime, but it ended badly because someone wanted to be favored like I was favored. The spirit of jealousy can sour some grapes, rot an apple, or whatever they say. Proverbs 14:30 says, A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones. The friendship I had started in my high school days. We were close, I thought like sisters. But this situation showed me that no matter how close you are with someone, if you leave the rotten spirits unchecked, they can break what is good.
For context, this friendship was one where we stayed at each other’s house, my mother was like her mother, and she even called her mom. Her parents were also like my own. In God’s favor, I was able to get a job working for her father in a good organization, one that I could continue in for a lifetime if I wanted to. I was favored because of our relationship, that I even rode to work with her and her dad every day. I was known as her best friend by all in the office. A new person came to work in the office. She started befriending both of us. Inviting us out with her and over to her house, etc. Her plan was to befriend us and join the group for her favor to come too. When she realized that we were close and she couldn’t fit in the group like she wanted to, she began to work on driving a wedge. She lied and told all sorts of stories about me. My friend began hanging out with her and less with me, until we became estranged. After some time, my friend that I had learned the truth and tried to mend the relationship, but it was too far gone at that point. The Bible says, the first one to plead his case seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him (Proverbs 18:17). That is what happened. After examining the situation, my friend found out that it was all a lie. James 3:14 says, But if you have bitter and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. In the end, the truth always wins.
Although I forgave my friend, I was not able to go back to the friendship we had because the trust was broken. She believed someone she had just met over me, whom she had been friends with for years. She never even thought to come and ask me if any of it was true. So in the end, my friend was left without my friendship and the other girl’s friendship. Proverbs 12:2 says, A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of wicked intentions He will condemn. The girl’s wicked intentions were condemned, and on top of losing what she lied to get, she also lost her position working for my friend’s dad and was moved to another part of the organization.
Daniel 1:9 says, Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. The key message here is that favor was brought by God. My favor is brought by God. You cannot go where I go by getting with the people who favor me. You can only go where I go by serving the God that I serve. He is the one who favors me, who calls my name in the ears of the right people at the right time. He is why I can do what I do or go where I go. Favor isn’t fair. However, if you follow the one who gives favor, you will obtain your own personal favor. How would you know if your favor would bring you even further than mine brought me if you don’t consult the one who gives favor? Remember, God is a personal God to each of us. Only He can determine where you can go with your favor. Another great lesson here is to not allow evil spirits to linger around and infect others. If you do, the enemy will steal, kill, and destroy all that is for you with no remorse. Until next time, be blessed!

Stay tuned for an exciting announcement! God is doing great things.

Are You Free?

Today is my mother’s birthday. As I reflected on her life I felt pure joy. She was such a warrior, an amazing example of what this ministry is all about. She was resilient and never let the challenges of life take her out. She fought back. In real fight but mostly on her knees. I remember her on knees so much as we were growing up. And I remember so many battles won by Christ on her behalf. It is an honor to be called her daughter and more importantly a blessing to have had someone who took it seriously to train us up in the way that we should grow.

She used to keep journals around and write things in them. I am blessed to be able to see her words of wisdom an insights on life still. Today her words were the inspiration for this message to you. Today remembering her life was an inspiration to bring this message to you. Let me ask you, are you free? True freedom is such a commodity today. There is such turmoil going on in this world we live in. Can you truly say that you are free? Mom knew what freedom was. She wrote, “I am free from the guilt that I carry. From the dark empty life. I am set free. For when I met Jesus, he made me complete. He forgot the foolish child I used to be.”

When she met Jesus she became free and He made her complete. We all live a dark empty life until we meet Jesus. The Bible says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). It also says, that God so loved the world that He gave his one and only son as a sacrifice so that we may all have eternal life (John 3:16). So that we all may be free. Mom believed that God sent Jesus not to condemn the world but to save us (John 3:17). She lived her life that way. She raised us up that way. Today she is living in her eternal life free because she took the time to meet Jesus decades ago. Today I am living free because I chose to meet Jesus. You can choose to meet Him today as well. All you have to do is ask Jesus into your heart and ask him to forgive you of your sins. Then follow Him by reading your Bible and praying and seek out a good Bible believing church to help build you along the way. But remember the relationship you have with Christ Jesus is personal. It Does not hang on whether or not you go to church every Sunday. I hangs on whether or not you know Jesus. Cultivate a lasting relationship with him that will stand the test of time and seasons. Because it is the relationship I have with Jesus, that today I can write and encourage you because of they joy I have in remembering the beautiful woman God brought me into this earth through.

The Bible says heaven rejoices when another soul has returned to Christ (Luke 15:7). Let heaven throw a party today as you repent and turn to God. Because of course I want mom to enjoy a party today on her birthday. Only that the party is all about you. Try Jesus he will never fail you. If you need prayer please feel free to let me know. Click the link for prayer requests and I will pray for you. Until next time be blessed and welcome to the family!

Scriptures:

Romans 3:21-26
John 3:16-21
Luke 15:7

Do Not Look Back

I was listening to a sermon recently and the minister repeated several times, “remember Lot’s wife.” It wasn’t until the final time that it fell into my spirit. God was correcting me about always looking at what happened and analyzing things, supposedly to see what went wrong to take note to never take that route again. At least that is what I told myself I was doing. But in reality what was happening was that the enemy was using the process to remind me of what happened as torment. When you are always looking back you cannot properly see what is ahead.

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah starts in Genesis 18. There were so many sins and wickedness that God decided to destroy the entire city. After intercession from Abraham God agreed to allow Lot and his family to escape from the city. God’s command was to flee for their lies and that no one was to look back as they left or they would be swept away (Genesis 19:17). Unfortunately, Lot’s wife could not control herself and turned and looked only to be turned into a pillar of salt. A permanent statue looking back at the destruction. Now I have heard preachers speak on her looking back at all she was leaving behind. I believe that she wasn’t looking at what she was leaving behind because she knew there was a tremendous amount of sin and wickedness. I think she may have been looking behind in shear astonishment of what was taking place. Maybe even looking in sadness for all the life that was being lost. Even in wonder of what could have been done to save them. Regardless of what the reason was, she didn’t follow the instructions of God and for that she suffered the consequences.

We cannot look back. It could be out of innocence to evaluate what you can change if it happens again, or to correct your steps so it would never happen again. The point is God said move on and do not look back. That means we are to look straight ahead and leave all the mess behind us and go forward into what God has called us to do. Looking back can dangerously put us in a position of being stuck and planted in the place of our destruction. God said to go. Move forward for He has already paved the way. He has sent His angels to escort us to the promised freedom. All we have to do is not look back and go forward.

What do you keep looking back at? It might be an illness, a death, a place of lack, a broken space, that thing that will not sell, that thing that just doesn’t seem like it is going to come together. Whatever it is, take your eyes, heart and mind off of it and go forward. Follow the path God has given you and know that protection and provision is paving the way. This next season, next year, needs your complete focus. You cannot look back. You must forge your way forward because this is the big step that solidifies your position as the generational curse breaker. The repairer of the breech. You must not lose sight. Pray and ask God for the grace to forget the former things and go forward. The time for your freedom is now. Don’t sabotage yourself by looking back. Be encouraged and press on to your purpose. Until next time, stay blessed.

Scripture: Genesis 18:16-19:29

Worship: (Holy Forever)

Just Ask

I learn a lot of lessons about God from my children. God is always speaking and if we pay attention we will hear His words in many situations. Today one of my children was having a meltdown because they had to do something and it wasn’t working. They were whining constantly because they could not figure it out. I knew they needed my help but I did not just offer it. I am trying to get them to stop whining and to come and state what is wrong instead of whining. I also want to instill in them that they can ask for help. So after whining for a bit more I finally said stop whining and ask for help if you need it, because I don’t feel like hearing the whining anymore. Then I walked away. I went in the room and waited patiently for them to come to me and ask. Then I would get right back up and help them as soon as they asked so they understood that was all they needed to do instead of whine.

As soon as I hit the room and sat down, God said, “Hey, did you get that lesson? Do you understand what you are doing? Now look at how that translates to what I do for you”. My eyes filled with tears. I thought about all the times I said I prayed for something and then said God didn’t answer me. But what I really did was I whined like my kid, instead of just asking for the help that I needed. God says in His word, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11 NLT). Some versions say, keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. That means we are not to stop going to God for what we need or desire. God said in His word that He will answer and it will be good because He is God.

Jesus says in the book of John it says, You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to The Father” (14:13 NLT). Jesus further says, “I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours” (Mark 11:24 NLT). This is exciting. That means we must go expecting a response from God. Just like when my child came a little later to me to ask for help. They expected that because I told them to ask for help, surely the help would come. And they were right, because as soon as they asked I made it a point to get right up and help them without delay. They need to understood all they have to do in the future was to ask. I believe that just like I could hear my child whining, God also hears us whining and He is saying just come ask. The best part is that He is also sitting with the answer right there waiting for you. Just as I was sitting waiting to answer my child’s call.

Now I want to make it clear that God is not to be considered as some genie in a bottle, and then you come asking for your three wishes. However, we can truly ask Him for anything. In 1 John 5:14, it says, “And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (CSB). That means what we ask for must fit in line with His Kingdom purpose for our lives. Since Jeremiah 29:11 states what His plans are for our lives then we are in great shape.

This last part is very important for us to remember. After I helped my child, they gave be a big thank you. We need to remember to thank God for what He has done for us when we get it. We need to be like the one man with leprosy that received his healing and came back and thanked Jesus for his healing. Don’t be like the other nine that never acknowledged they were healed. Show your gratitude to God and offer up your sacrifice of praise. Praise Him in advance even, knowing that His word will never return void. So you are sure to get an answer. How amazing is it to know that we can ask and we will receive? Until next time, stay encouraged and be blessed.

Purpose Driven Life

We always hear the saying that we need to live a purpose-driven life.  We hear sayings like; live life on purpose and find your purpose and you will be happy.  Many people have tried to capitalize on this and have made millions of dollars doing it. Even in the religious circle. There are many that say they will help you to find your God-given purpose for a fee. Just to find the quote above I found many, many articles and ads about how to find purpose. The truth is that we all have a purpose and the only true way to find it is to go to the one who created us all. When God created us, he had a purpose in mind for us all. Don’t get me wrong I do believe people can steer you in the right direction. However, it is impossible for them to give you the true purpose of your life. Even when you get advice from others, it should always return you to God and His word.

As I began the new year, I have been focusing my attention on hearing the vision for 2023. In my studying and prayer time, God showed me what is my true purpose. As I read it, I was literally able to apply it to all aspects of my life. It embodied my career, my ministry, and even my operations as a wife, mother, and daughter. When you can do that, it is a good indication that you have found out your true purpose in life. There is nothing more satisfying than really getting why you are here. I now can apply this through the Word of God in all aspects of my life. I can literally wake up and ask myself what is it that God wants me to do today that will fit into the purpose He has given me. Being able to do that is really living out my purpose daily.

When we live out our purpose every day, we can begin to feel fulfilled daily. As we continue to make it our everyday mission, we then begin to create a lasting joy that can only come from the Father himself. I hope that as you are reading this if you don’t know your purpose that you are beginning to ask yourself how do I get to this point in my life. Well, I am glad you asked; because I came on here to tell you. All you have to do is ask. It is that simple. In Matthew chapter seven, the Bible says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (NIV). It goes on the say that if we as sinners know how to give good gifts, how much more amazing are the gifts we get from our Heavenly Father. So, it is just that easy; just ASK. Take the time to pray and read the Word of God. When you pray don’t just spend time talking but remember to spend time listening. God speaks in the silence. God said His Word will never return void. Meaning He will answer you. In James chapter one God says, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking” (NLT). So, ask.

Here are some verses to encourage you as you press on to receive your purpose: Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 138:8, Proverbs 19:21, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Romans 12:2, and Proverbs 20:5. Life is only lived well when it is lived on purpose. Be blessed until next time and Happy New Year! May 2023 be the year you live a purpose-driven life.

Today’s Scripture:

Matthew 7:7-11; Isaiah 55:11; James 1:5

Listen to this episode by clicking the link below. Check out our other episodes of The Shower Chronicle too.

Do Not Dwell on the Problem

Let us look to the one who solves the problems. Micah 7:7 – Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

Let me start with a confession. I am an overthinker. I spend a lot of time doing too much thinking. Some of you may identify with me on that. Have you ever found yourself looking at a situation going on in your life so much that you begin to think of solutions and different scenarios that could take place? Which then leads to worry or fret about what may happen. Maybe you are a person that likes to look back at situations that are already done and think, if this or that had happened then it would have gone that way. Let me share something with you. This is the work and plan of the enemy. He will have you stuck in a perpetual loop in your head hoping you won’t be able to get out. In a previous post, I talked about the enemy’s strength being persistence. If he can consistently have you focus on what is not going well or what already happened, he will have you on the wrong path.

Recently, I was listening to a sermon and the pastor said something that was profound. He said, what is wrong with the churches of today is that they spend too much time thinking about what the enemy is doing and not spending enough time praising the God who is in control of it all. I think that is so true. When we find ourselves in situations, we often look around trying to find out how the enemy made his way in. We begin wonder; is God mad at me, what part of the process did I skip over, what didn’t I learn or who sent this and why. Even though those are all valid questions and valid things to think about, they should never be our focus. When we find ourselves in a situation, our initial focus should be to turn to the great big God who can solve it all. The enemy should never get any of our time or be allowed the opportunity to even have a second in our minds. Because once we let him in our mind for just a moment, he is going to look for an opportunity to stay forever. And the longer we allow him to stay, the more disruption we will see happen in our life. Have you ever heard the saying if you give someone an inch, they are going to take a mile? That’s the truth of the enemy. If you give him just a millimeter, he is going to try and take ten miles. Knowing the nature of your enemy helps but knowing the character and the ability of our Heavenly Father is golden.

Most problems create unnecessary stress. An important thing for us to remember is that our bodies were not created to manage stress. think about the countless doctors’ appointments that you have been to. When you sit down in front of the doctor, and you begin to talk about your symptoms, the first question the doctor asks is if you have been under some usual amount of stress lately. The doctor then begins to tell you how stress can create different situations in your body. The fact that our human body cannot endure stress validates the point that God meant for us to seek him when situations arise. We were not meant to solve anything on our own. That is why the Holy Spirit was given to us as a comforter and a guide after Jesus returned to heaven.

Micah 7:7 says, “As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me” (NLT). This verse says it well. We are to look to God for help. God is the answer to all things. He is the creator of the world and the creator of us. If he meant for us to handle life’s stress by ourselves, when he created our bodies, he would have created them to endure the large amounts of stress that we go through daily. However, instead there are countless verses that encourages us to stay in God’s peace and cast our burdens on to him because he cares for us. I want you to know that you do not have to worry and fret about the problem. All you need to do is look up to God because He has all the answers. There is nothing He cannot solve. We are to hold our position of praise and watch Him work in miraculous ways.

I have left a few verses to encourage you. Until next time, Be Blessed!

  • Isaiah 54:10
  • Jeremiah 29:11
  • Psalm 29:11
  • Psalm 4:8
  • Romans 8:6
  • James 3:17

Soar in Peace

This past week I’ve been studying verses about trusting in God. They have been very encouraging I’ve been studying verses like Psalm 28:7, Hebrews 13:8 and Isaiah 41:10.  They have really encouraged my soul and help me understand Our heavenly Father more.

When I do my study, I like to write whatever verse I’m reading down in three different versions. I do this so I can get a better understanding of what I’m reading and for God to show me what he wants me to see. As I was writing down one of the verses that speaks about staying in God’s peace, then God reminded me about something he showed me the week before in the middle of a storm. The week before had been sort of like a storm for me. That was the reason I decided studying the verses about trusting in God would help me refocus.

As I was sitting in the couch looking out the window at the storm that had just started, all of a sudden, a bird flew right in clear view of the windowpane I was looking out of.  It was almost like I was looking at a painting, because suddenly, this bird just stopped in the middle of the sky. I was amazed that it was just flying and then just stopped. What I thought was interesting was that it didn’t fall out the sky. It was staying up in the sky with its wings out like it was flying but it was not flapping. At that moment I realized that this unusual (for me) occurrence was God trying to tell me something.

I began asking the Holy Spirit what he was trying to show me. The storm had some strong winds blowing, just like I felt was blowing through my life. Then I heard, stay in peace because I can keep you up just like I can keep the bird in the sky. Then, I finally realized what I was seeing. The bird in the sky understood that if it just sat and coasted on the wind instead of flapping its wings it would be better. It knew it would be hard trying to go forcefully through the wind and if it stayed in place the wind would keep it in the sky. It knew that God would not allow it to fall and that it could coast in peace in the heavy winds of the storm.  The Holy Spirit showed me that if the bird kept flapping its wings to push through the storm his wings would get tired, and it could fall out of the sky flapping on its own might. However, if it rested and held its position it could ride through the storm in peace, because the very wind that could blow it over would hold it up during the storm.

How many times have we been up against a storm like that? We’ve been flapping our wings going through life and then the next thing you know a big storm comes and the wind is so heavy and strong that we feel like we’re not even going to make it through. Then, we get tired from trying to flap our wings through the storm and force our way through it. My question to you is, do you do like the bird and realize that the storm is bigger than you but the God who created it can hold you up in it? Or do you do the opposite and start flapping your wings as hard as you can to fly and push through the storm? I won’t lie, sometimes I when things hit, I don’t remember that I could pull back in peace and lay in my heavenly Father’s arms to ride out the storm. However, the bird is an animal, and it acts on instinct. It knew automatically to pause and stay in peace because the storm was not going to last forever. The wind was not going to last forever. So, it needed to pause in peace and get rest so that when the wind of the storm finished it could begin to fly again and it wouldn’t be tired.

That is such a hard concept for us to understand. When the storms of life come, we automatically start trying to figure out what can we do to get out of it. Did you hear that I said what can WE do? Basically, we began to start flapping our wings as fast as we can to get out of the storm. Which I just said would have tired the bird and it most definitely would have fell out the sky due to exhaustion. When the storms of life come The Bible tells us that we are supposed to stand firm In Christ Jesus and stay in His peace. For the storms of life were never ours to battle. If we could just have that instinct like the bird to know this storm is too strong for me, so I need to stand in peace and let my Father who controls every storm handle it. Then I can wait for Him to tell me when I can start flapping my wings again; when I can get up and start moving again.

We were never meant to carry the burden of any storm that we go through. God did not build our bodies to take stress.  That is why stress kills. If we stress our bodies sickness comes, disease comes, distress comes. We begin to feel the effects like the bird would have if it had kept flapping. God built our bodies to do what he wanted us to do which is depend on him when the storms of life come. To depend on him for direction so that we can miss some of the storms of life. He wants us to have a relationship with him so that He can guide us through the things of life. When things get heavy, we are to stay in peace and ride the wind as He carries us through.

I’ve placed a few of the verses that I was studying this past week below. I put them in the version that spoke to me the most. I hope that they are encouraging to you and that you may take the time to look at other versions that may speak to you even more. Until next time, be blessed.

Verses:
Romans 8:28-31 (AMP)
28 And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers. 30 And those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified [declared free of the guilt of sin]; and those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity]. 31 What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?

Psalm 28:7 (MSG)
6-7 Blessed be God—he heard me praying. He proved he’s on my side; I’ve thrown my lot in with him. Now I’m jumping for joy, and shouting and singing my thanks to him.

Isaiah 41:10 (AMPC)
10 Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice.

Proverbs 3:5-6
5-6 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.

Check out another episode of The Shower Chronicles at https://anchor.fm/sheena-brown2/episodes/Relationship-vs-Religion-e1i1dkn

Uproot It

The other day I was walking around outside. As I was walking around the driveway I looked down and I saw this plant growing through the tiles of the driveway. So, I reached down, and I yanked it out. As I yanked it out, I said to myself pull it out by the root. As I said that something jumped in my spirit. It was like I heard God say I’m going to pull it out by the root. At the time I believe he was talking to me about what I was praying about. I often walk around outside and pray and seek God for the things I need.

There are so many times that we are praying and asking God for his help to remove something and we forget to ask him to pull it out by the root. See it was so important that when I pulled out that plant that I got the roots too. If I never pulled out the root too, as soon as it rained a plant would grow right back. How many times have we gone to God and ask him could he remove something, but we never get to the root cause? It is so important you find the root cause. Us not getting to the root is the reason why we cycle through things over and over again.

We serve a God that can do full deliverance. He isn’t just capable of removing what we see but he also removes what is unseen. The roots that go down far deep below the surface. Sometimes those roots are so deep that we are unable to even understand for ourselves how far they go. But our all-knowing God can see all. So, when we ask him to remove it from the root He goes deep down to make sure that he takes out and destroys everything so it can’t grow back again.

Sometimes, the difficult part about him uprooting everything is that some of the roots are stubborn. They have been there for so long. They have grown so big. They go so deep. That makes it hurt when He is pulling them out. Think about when you must chop down a tree that’s growing in your yard and the roots are damaging the foundation of house. You have to start chopping the tree from the top and then work your way down. Then when it gets to a stump the next level of chopping begins because now you must account for digging up roots.

Depending on how big the tree was, the roots underneath the ground could be just as deep. That is what we often face with the situations in our lives. The bigger the situation above ground, the deeper the roots go. It can be a challenge for things to be uprooted and it can be painful. Having to face the reality of the real reason why things are there can really difficult.

However, we serve an amazing and loving Father. He not only does the digging for us but he also holds us while repairing the damage done. When he is finished, we look like new. His repair job is more of a renovation where we come out looking new and unrecognizable to the old self. Much like when you’re doing renovations, it looks worse after you start. However, the finished product, looks amazing.

Let me encourage all of you to ask God to pull things out by the root. Then lean back into the loving arms of your heavenly father as he works on you. So, then you can become the masterpiece He intended you to be. Until next time, be blessed.

Scripture:
Matthew 15:13
But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted.

Song:
Lean Back by Capital City Music
https://youtu.be/qHQOcUizZuQ

Check out this message on our podcast https://anchor.fm/sheena-brown2.

Who’s Your Director?

Many of us like to watch movies. As soon as the latest one comes out, we are at the movie theatre or in front of the TV to watch it and give our reviews. Recently in my time of devotion, God showed me something about our lives. As I was praying and asking about things happening in my life, God told me to look up the role of a Director. So I went and looked it up and the description I found was very profound. Directors are the creative leads of the film. They are the ones that hold the creative vision and they guide the film throughout the whole process; from pre-production to the final edit. The director also instructs other members of the crew. They tell lighting, wardrobe, make-up and etc. where to be and when. Just look at the description. Doesn’t it already give you the feel of how God wants to be in our lives?

God showed me how He wants to be the director of my life. He had the vision for me and He is my creative lead from pre-production until my final edit. Jeremiah 1:5 says, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations” (NLT). God was talking to Jeremiah in this text telling him how He knew who and what Jeremiah was to be from before Jeremiah even got on this earth. God knew each of us from pre-production. We are His well-thought-out creation.

Next, God showed me how He, as the director, is and has been instructing people in and out of my life to help the film of my life be the beautiful production He had the creative vision for it to be. So every person we meet, every location we go, every position we find ourselves in (as we operate in obedience) is a well-thought-out scene in our life movie. Notice I put as we operate in obedience in parenthesis. That is an important part of the movie being the beautiful creation God intended it to be. When you go to the set as an actor, you don’t go there and tell the Director what you are doing in his/her film. You go to them and ask what they envisioned that scene to look like.

It is in the same way that we must seek God for His vision for every scene in our lives. He wants to instruct us on how He imagined the scene to look and feel; what He wants the outcome to be. God is a relational god. He has always intended for us to talk with him about everything we do. Our life works best when we get up and ask Him daily about what the next scene (day) is supposed to look like. Psalm 63:1 says, “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water” (NKJV). Some versions say, “earnestly will I seek you.” The point is that we are to make a conscious effort to seek the Lord before we do anything. Check in with Him about His thoughts on the things we plan before we plan them. This way we make sure the movie goes just as planned without scene edits because we chose to do something our way without checking with the Director. So my question to you today is, who is your Director? Are you allowing the one who created you and knew you before you were formed, in on your life’s plans? As every actor will tell you, the filming goes much better when you follow the Director; when you check in with the Director to find out their creative vision for each scene. I encourage you to give God the position He deserves in your life’s movie. It will always go better when He leads.

Until next time, Be Blessed!